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Antonucci L, Thurman JM, Vivarelli M. Complement inhibitors in pediatric kidney diseases: new therapeutic opportunities. Pediatr Nephrol 2024; 39:1387-1404. [PMID: 37733095 DOI: 10.1007/s00467-023-06120-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Historically, the complement system (classical, lectin, alternative, and terminal pathways) is known to play a crucial role in the etiopathogenesis of many kidney diseases. Direct or indirect activation in these settings is revealed by consumption of complement proteins at the serum level and kidney tissue deposition seen by immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. The advent of eculizumab has shown that complement inhibitors may improve the natural history of certain kidney diseases. Since then, the number of available therapeutic molecules and experimental studies on complement inhibition has increased exponentially. In our narrative review, we give a summary of the main complement inhibitors that have completed phase II and phase III studies or are currently used in adult and pediatric nephrology. The relevant full-text works, abstracts, and ongoing trials (clinicaltrials.gov site) are discussed. Data and key clinical features are reported for eculizumab, ravulizumab, crovalimab, avacopan, danicopan, iptacopan, pegcetacoplan, and narsoplimab. Many of these molecules have been shown to be effective in reducing proteinuria and stabilizing kidney function in different complement-mediated kidney diseases. Thanks to their efficacy and target specificity, these novel drugs may radically improve the outcome of complement-mediated kidney diseases, contributing to an improvement in our understanding of their underlying pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Antonucci
- Division of Nephrology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Ph.D. Course in Microbiology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, and Transplants (MIMIT), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Joshua M Thurman
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Marina Vivarelli
- Division of Nephrology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
- Division of Nephrology, Laboratory of Nephrology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Piazza S Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy.
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Noris M, Remuzzi G. C3G and Ig-MPGN-treatment standard. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2024; 39:202-214. [PMID: 37604793 PMCID: PMC10828209 DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfad182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the broad spectrum of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), immunofluorescence distinguishes C3 glomerulopathy (C3G), with predominant C3 deposits, and immunoglobulin-associated MPGN (Ig-MPGN), with combined C3 and Ig. However, there are several intersections between C3G and Ig-MPGN. Primary C3G and Ig-MPGN share the same prevalence of low serum C3 levels and of abnormalities of the alternative pathway of complement, and patients who present a bioptic pattern of Ig-MPGN at onset may show a C3G pattern in a subsequent biopsy. There is no specific therapy for primary C3G and Ig-MPGN and prognosis is unfavourable. The only recommended indications are inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system, lipid-lowering agents and other renoprotective agents. The other drugs used currently, such as corticosteroids and mycophenolate mofetil, are often ineffective. The anti-C5 monoclonal antibody eculizumab has been tested in several patients, with mixed results. One reason for the uncertainty is the extremely variable clinical course, most likely reflecting a heterogeneous pathogenesis. An unsupervised clustering analysis that included histologic, biochemical, genetic and clinical data available at onset in patients with primary C3G and Ig-MPGN identified four clusters characterized by specific pathogenic mechanisms. This approach may facilitate accurate diagnosis and development of targeted therapies. Several trials are ongoing with drugs targeting different molecules of the complement cascade, however it is important to consider which component of the cascade may be the most appropriate for each patient. We review the current standards of treatment and discuss novel developments in the pathophysiology, diagnosis, outcome prediction and management of C3G and Ig-MPGN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Noris
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Clinical Research Center for Rare Diseases Aldo e Cele Daccò Ranica, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Remuzzi
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Clinical Research Center for Rare Diseases Aldo e Cele Daccò Ranica, Bergamo, Italy
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Chabannes M, Rabant M, El Sissy C, Dragon-Durey MA, Vieira Martins P, Meuleman MS, Karras A, Buob D, Bridoux F, Daugas E, Audard V, Caillard S, Olagne J, Kandel C, Ferlicot S, Philipponnet C, Crepin T, Thervet E, Ducloux D, Frémeaux-Bacchi V, Chauvet S. C3 Glomerulopathy With Concurrent Thrombotic Microangiopathy: Clinical and Immunological Features. Am J Kidney Dis 2023; 82:279-289. [PMID: 37061020 DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2022.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE C3 glomerulopathy (C3GN) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) are 2 distinct rare kidney diseases caused by dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway. Patients with C3GN and concurrent kidney lesions of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) have been rarely reported. We characterized the clinical features and underlying immunological abnormalities in these patients. STUDY DESIGN Case series. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS Patients with C3GN and concomitant TMA lesions on biopsy registered from 2009 to 2019 in the French National Registry of C3GN. FINDINGS Among 278 registered patients with C3GN, 16 (6%) had biopsy-proven glomerular and/or vascular TMA lesions. Their median age at diagnosis was 39 years (range, 7-76), and 59% were female. Fourteen of the 16 patients (88%) had an estimated glomerular filtration rate of<30mL/min/1.73m2 and 3 of 16 (19%) required dialysis. Twelve of the 14 evaluated patients (86%) showed evidence of mechanical hemolysis. Fifty percent of the patients had low C3 levels. Six of the 14 evaluated patients had a rare variant in complement genes, and 4 of the 16 patients (25%) had monoclonal gammopathy. Among the 16 patients, 10 (63%) received eculizumab, 5 (31%) received immunosuppressive therapy, and 4 (25%) received clone-targeted chemotherapy. Median kidney survival was 49 months. LIMITATIONS Small retrospective case series with a limited number of biopsies including electron microscopy. CONCLUSIONS Concomitant C3GN and TMA is extremely rare and is associated with poor kidney outcomes. Genetic or acquired abnormalities of the alternative complement pathway are common as is the presence of monoclonal gammopathy, which may inform the selection of treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melchior Chabannes
- Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplantation, University Hospital, Besançon
| | - Marion Rabant
- Department of Pathology, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris; Université de Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Carine El Sissy
- Department of Biological Immunology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris
| | - Marie-Agnès Dragon-Durey
- Department of Biological Immunology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris; INSERM UMRS 1138, Cordelier Research Center, Paris; Université de Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Paula Vieira Martins
- Department of Biological Immunology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris
| | - Marie Sophie Meuleman
- INSERM UMRS 1138, Cordelier Research Center, Paris; Université de Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Karras
- Department of Nephrology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris
| | - David Buob
- Department of Pathology, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris
| | - Frank Bridoux
- Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplantation, University Hospital, Poitiers
| | - Eric Daugas
- Department of Nephrology, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris
| | - Vincent Audard
- Department of Nephrology and Transplantation, Henri Mondor University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil; Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM, IMRB, Créteil, France
| | - Sophie Caillard
- Department of Nephrology and Transplantation, University Hospital, Strasbourg
| | - Jérôme Olagne
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital, Strasbourg
| | | | - Sophie Ferlicot
- Department of Pathology, Hôpital Kremlin-Bicêtre, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre
| | | | - Thomas Crepin
- Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplantation, University Hospital, Besançon
| | - Eric Thervet
- INSERM UMRS 1138, Cordelier Research Center, Paris
| | - Didier Ducloux
- Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplantation, University Hospital, Besançon
| | - Véronique Frémeaux-Bacchi
- Department of Biological Immunology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris
| | - Sophie Chauvet
- Department of Nephrology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris; INSERM UMRS 1138, Cordelier Research Center, Paris; Université de Paris Cité, Paris, France.
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Schmidt T, Afonso S, Perie L, Heidenreich K, Wulf S, Krebs CF, Zipfel PF, Wiech T. An Interdisciplinary Diagnostic Approach to Guide Therapy in C3 Glomerulopathy. Front Immunol 2022; 13:826513. [PMID: 35693785 PMCID: PMC9186056 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.826513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the re-classification of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis the new disease entity C3 glomerulopathy is diagnosed if C3 deposition is clearly dominant over immunoglobulins in immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence. Although this new definition is more orientated at the pathophysiology as mediated by activity of the alternative complement pathway C3 glomerulopathy remains a heterogenous group of disorders. Genetic or autoimmune causes are associated in several but not in all patients with this disease. However, prognosis is poorly predictable, and clinicians cannot directly identify patients that might benefit from therapy. Moreover, therapy may range from supportive care alone, unspecific immune suppression, plasma treatment, or plasma exchange to complement inhibition. The current biopsy based diagnostic approaches sometimes combined with complement profiling are not sufficient to guide clinicians neither (i) whether to treat an individual patient, nor (ii) to choose the best therapy. With this perspective, we propose an interdisciplinary diagnostic approach, including detailed analysis of the kidney biopsy for morphological alterations and immunohistochemical staining, for genetic analyses of complement genes, complement activation patterning in plasma, and furthermore for applying novel approaches for convertase typing and complement profiling directly in renal tissue. Such a combined diagnostic approach was used here for a 42-year-old female patient with a novel mutation in the Factor H gene, C3 glomerulopathy and signs of chronic endothelial damage. We present here an approach that might in future help to guide therapy of renal diseases with relevant complement activation, especially since diverse new anti-complement agents are under clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tilman Schmidt
- III. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sara Afonso
- Department of Infection Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knöll-Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Luce Perie
- Department of Infection Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knöll-Institute, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Sonia Wulf
- Nephropathology Section, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian F Krebs
- Division of Translational Immunology, III. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology (HCTI), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Peter F Zipfel
- Department of Infection Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knöll-Institute, Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Thorsten Wiech
- Nephropathology Section, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Patriquin CJ, Pavenski K, Garland J, Girard LP, Isenring P. Complement-Amplifying Conditions in Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome: A Canadian Case Series. Can J Kidney Health Dis 2022; 9:20543581221100288. [PMID: 35615072 PMCID: PMC9125052 DOI: 10.1177/20543581221100288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale Thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs) are systemic disorders that often affect the kidneys and encompass a heterogeneous group of conditions, including atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). The complement pathway is thought to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of aHUS, and a favorable response can be obtained through complement C5 inhibition. There is emerging evidence to suggest that the same is also true for several other forms of TMA. Objective The purpose of this series is to report cases of aHUS in which both an innate defect of the alternative complement pathway and a complement-amplifying condition were suspected. Methods This case series describes 8 patients who were managed in Canadian tertiary centers for aHUS and who presented initially with complement-amplifying conditions. Results In all cases, aHUS was associated with organ dysfunction and in some, with an innate defect of the alternative complement pathway. The complement-amplifying conditions identified were diverse including immune disorders, pregnancy, and a Shiga toxin infection. Patients improved rapidly when treated with eculizumab or plasma exchange. Conclusions These observations illustrate the seriousness of secondary aHUS. They also add to existing lines of evidence that the complement pathway is potentially involved in this condition and that it should be considered as a therapeutic target of interest under such circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katerina Pavenski
- St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jocelyn Garland
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | | | - Paul Isenring
- Nephrology Research Group, Department of Medicine, L’Hôtel-Dieu de Québec Institution, Laval University, Québec, QC, Canada
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Riedl Khursigara M, Matsuda-Abedini M, Radhakrishnan S, Hladunewich MA, Lemaire M, Teoh CW, Noone D, Licht C. A Guide for Adult Nephrologists and Hematologists to Managing Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome and C3 Glomerulopathy in Teens Transitioning to Young Adults. Adv Chronic Kidney Dis 2022; 29:231-242. [PMID: 36084970 DOI: 10.1053/j.ackd.2022.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and C3 glomerulopathy/immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis are ultra-rare chronic, complement-mediated diseases with childhood manifestation in a majority of cases. Transition of clinical care of patients from pediatric to adult nephrologists-typically with controlled disease in native or transplant kidneys in case of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and often with chronic progressive disease despite treatment efforts in case of C3 glomerulopathy/immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis-identifies a challenging juncture in the journey of these patients. Raising awareness for the vulnerability of this patient cohort; providing education on disease pathophysiology and management including the use of new, high-precision complement antagonists; and establishing an ongoing dialog of patients, families, and all members of the health care team involved on either side of the age divide will be inevitable to ensure optimal patient outcomes and a safe transition of these patients to adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mina Matsuda-Abedini
- Division of Nephrology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Seetha Radhakrishnan
- Division of Nephrology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michelle A Hladunewich
- Division of Nephrology and Obstetric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mathieu Lemaire
- Division of Nephrology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Cell Biology Program, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Chia Wei Teoh
- Division of Nephrology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Damien Noone
- Division of Nephrology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christoph Licht
- Division of Nephrology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Cell Biology Program, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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